Thursday, October 1, 2026
South Side High School has been ranked the No. 1 high school on Long Island in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-27 Best High Schools rankings.
The Rockville Centre school received an overall score of 97.25 out of 100, and ranked No. 494 nationally among 17,945 schools included in the magazine’s rankings. South Side ranked No. 8 among 1,232 high schools in New York, and No. 35 among high schools in the New York metropolitan area.
South Side was ranked No. 611 nationally last year, and was not among the top 10 schools on Long Island. Jericho High School had the highest ranking among Long Island schools in the previous U.S. News rankings, but fell from No. 9 in New York last year to No. 41 in the latest rankings.
U.S. News evaluated about 27,000 public high schools nationwide and ranked nearly 18,000 of them. The rankings considered student performance on state-required assessments, graduation rates, college readiness, breadth of curriculum and the performance of underserved students.
South Side has a 99 percent graduation rate, according to U.S. News.
“It is gratifying to see the work of our teachers and students recognized,” district Superintendent Matthew Gaven said in an emailed statement. “South Side High School and all of the Rockville Centre Schools have a longstanding tradition of providing an outstanding education through rigorous courses, meaningful opportunities, and exceptional teaching.”
South Side received a College Readiness Index score of 80.1 out of 100, placing the school in the 94.8th percentile nationally for college-level exams. It ranked No. 8 in New York and No. 185 nationally in that index.
“I’m so proud of this wonderful recognition,” South Side Principal Patrick Walsh wrote in a statement. “It is a reflection of the many people who make our school community so special.”
South Side’s college-readiness results were based on International Baccalaureate exams. According to U.S. News, the New York State Education Department did not authorize the College Board to share Advanced Placement data with the publication. As a result, U.S. News calculated the College Readiness and College Curriculum Breadth scores for New York schools using participation and performance on IB exams.
At South Side, 88 percent of the 12th-grade class took at least one IB exam, while 78 percent passed at least one, according to U.S. News. IB exams are scored from 1 to 7, with 7 being the highest score. Among students who took an IB exam, 89 percent earned a score of 4 or higher. U.S. News reported an overall IB exam pass rate of 68 percent.
“In recent years, we have expanded our classes and learning experiences, and our students have embraced these new challenges,” Gaven said. “The strength of South Side is reflected in the opportunities available to every student, the quality of instruction, and the excellent results our students achieve.”
The school’s performance on New York’s Regents exams placed it in the 86.8th national percentile. U.S. News classified South Side’s Regents examination performance as “Somewhat Above Expectations.”
South Side’s proficiency rates were 83 percent in mathematics, 96 percent in reading and 87 percent in science. Statewide, proficiency rates were 60 percent in mathematics, 80 percent in reading and 60 percent in science.
U.S. News also measures the performance of students it identifies as underserved, meaning those who are traditionally underrepresented or face disadvantages in educational opportunities. At South Side, 72.4 percent of underserved students were proficient on state exams, compared with 92.7 percent of non-underserved students. Among underserved students, South Side’s proficiency rate was 14.2 percentage points higher than the statewide rate.
“Our faculty and staff work tirelessly to provide exceptional learning experiences for our students,” Walsh said. “Our parents and families support our schools and serve as wonderful partners in our work.”
South Side has an enrollment of 946 students and a student-teacher ratio of 10-to-1, according to U.S. News.
Many South Side graduates receive the New York State Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation, according to the profile, and students can earn college credit for some courses through Long Island University.
The high school’s students, Walsh said, “bring curiosity, character, effort, and school spirit each and every day. They make our building truly special.”
“This is our shared commitment and the standard we will continue to uphold,” Gaven said
